Pollution and Holidays

When it comes to monitoring beaches for pollution, some countries are better than others.

Shark tales make bigger headlines, but water pollution is far more common—and a greater threat to humans than the creature depicted in Jaws ever was. In the United States, fouled swimming water is responsible for tens of thousands of beach closings and health advisories every year. Although there is still no uniform federal protocol for testing water quality at beaches, information on water cleanliness at most of the nation’s public swimming beaches can be found on the Environmental Protection Agency’s site. Outside the United States, however, travellers are largely left to fend for themselves.

Most pollution at swimming beaches is caused by bacteria associated with fecal contamination. Some of these bacteria are harmless, but they are often accompanied by more pernicious pathogens, including E. coli, salmonella, giardia, and enteroviruses that cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and other extremely unpleasant symptoms for the millions of swimmers who are exposed to them every year. Though rare, cholera, hepatitis, and typhoid fever are among the more serious water-borne maladies found at beaches around the world.

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50 ways to save on your holidays

Richard Browning

SCHOOLS are clamping down on parents who take their children on holiday during term time. At best, to get permission for even one extra day off at either end of a holiday requires a degree of form filling and letter writing that wouldn’t be out of place in a Soviet police station. Even then, the final decision rests on the whim of the chairman of governors. While the difference a day makes to a child’s education is unquantifiable, it can add thousands of pounds to the price of a family holiday. But with this option of saving money virtually outlawed, how do you stick within the rules without breaking the bank?

Here are some examples from the article on how to save money on your holiday. Visit “Holiday Money” to read the holiday article in full.

4. Travel on the ferry at unsociable times After years of outrageously high fares, the cross-Channel ferry operators have woken up to the fact that people aren’t prepared to pay up to £600 to cross a stretch of water so short you can see the other side from our shores – especially as you can fly to Spain for a few quid. As a result, fares have plunged and if you can travel at night, it’s even cheaper.

5. Stay at home A change is good as a rest so why not move into the spare room or swap rooms with your kids for a week or two. It’s free and can be great fun – especially if you can agree to swap roles so the children do all the cooking.

6. Share the cost A holiday home that sleeps 12 people isn’t usually six times more expensive than one that sleeps two. So if you can bear to share with friends or family you could save a packet.

Why book a room in a crowded hotel when you can rent a private villa with swimming pool – we feature villa rentals with pools in Spain, Portugal and Cyprus and 51 other Countries across the World.

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24. Book your cab in advance Getting to and from the airport can end up being a significant additional expenditure. In the UK minicabs are a sensible option but you must book in advance. If you don’t, and you want a taxi, the only option are the official on-site ranks, which can cost a fortune.

25. Book your airport parking in advance Turn up on the day and you’ll very likely feel sick at the price you’ll have to pay just to park your car for a week or two. So do your research, check your insurance or AA membership for special tie-in offers, check hotels that offer one-night, pre-flight stays that include long-term parking, look for off-site parking offers, or, best of all, get someone to run you there and back.

26. Cut your speed on motorways According to the AA, driving at 80mph on the motorways instead of 70mph costs an extra 4p a mile – or an extra litre of petrol every 20 miles. This may not sound much but it will add an extra £80 to a 2,000-mile tour of Europe. For lawbreakers driving at 90 or 100mph the costs are significantly higher – and you run the risk of heavy fines.

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34. Control your holiday spending without doing a thing Did you know that most credit card providers charge up to 2.75% commission every time you use the card abroad? A similar sting applies if you use your debit card abroad. One exception is Nationwide, which charges no such commission.

35 Email us your tips There are hundreds more tips for families to cut the cost of their holidays. Send us yours and, if they’re appropriate we’ll add them to the list. There’s a prize for the best one.

35. Beware the mobile phone sting Do you know how much it will cost you to make and receive mobile phone calls abroad? Check your contract – at up to £1.49 a minute you may want to leave the phone at home.

36. Don’t use the Heathrow Express The return rail fare for a family of five from London Paddington to Heathrow airport is more than £130. Using the Underground and the little-known One Day Family Travel card will set you back around £20.

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Coming Soon A wide variety of holiday choices in the UK and also holidays in Europe and abroad.